The surname Toune is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from the Old English "tun," which originally meant "fence" or "enclosure," but soon came to mean "enclosure round a house," "homestead," "village," or "town." The name was originally preceded by a preposition, and referred to "one who lived in or at the village or town."

Early Origins of the Toune family

The surname Toune was first found in Suffolk. The written history of the name dates back as far as 1095, when Wistric Oftun was recorded in the records of the abbey at Bury St. Edmunds. Variations on the surname, such as Abothetoune, atte Tun, and Douninthetune, could also be found in this region at an early date.

Early History of the Toune family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Toune research.Another 217 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1095, 1275, 1327, 1524, 1583, 1650, 1739, 1816, 1621, 1692, 1640 and 1692 are included under the topic Early Toune History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Early Notables of the Toune family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include John Towne (c.1583), a British actor, Robert Towne (c.1650), a religious writer, and Francis Towne (1739-1816), a well-known British watercolor painter of landscapes. Rebecca Towne Nurse (or Nourse) (1621-1692) (née Towne)... Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Toune Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Toune family to the New World and Oceana

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: James Tune, who settled in Virginia in 1673; Daniell Towne, who came to New England in 1661; Edward Towne, who emigrated from England to Barbados with his wife and servants in 1680.